ISLAMABAD: The accountability court of Islamabad on Tuesday granted pre-arrest interim bail till Nov 23 to former president Asif Ali Zardari in US properties case.

Accountability Judge Azam Khan accepted the interim bail of Mr Zardari against Rs0.5 million surety bonds.

According to the prosecution of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Mr Zardari allegedly owned an apartment in Belaire Condominiums located at 524 East 72nd Street, New York.

NAB had on June 15 issued a call-up notice to the former president, asking him to appear before a NAB team on June 24 in connection with the investigation into the ownership of an apartment in New York.

Mr Zardari through his counsel Farooq Naek contended in the bail petition that the call-up notice was issued at the behest of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government. He termed the call-up notice “baseless” and an attempt to malign him.

The petition rejected NAB’s claim that Mr Zardari was the owner of the New York property and stated that the notice was issued to harass him and damage his reputation.

Following the court’s proceeding, the former president spoke to the media persons. He said those who had brought Imran Khan in power are regretting now and looking for corrective measures.

Mr Zardari said that he is not sure that Mr Khan can complete his five-year term in office.

In response to a question regarding the affidavit of former chief judge of Gilgit-Baltistan Rana Shamim Ahmed Khan that claimed then chief justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar in July 2018 had asked a judge of the Islamabad High Court to linger the release of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and other members of the Sharif family after the 2018 general elections, Mr Zardari replied that he had witnessed similar conversation of retired Justice Malik Qayyum with erstwhile Ehtesab Commission’s head Saifur Rehman and a ‘friend’.

Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2021